Apparatus and method of installing an internal locking ring to reinforce an adjustable trailer hitch

Abstract

An adjustable height trailer hitch may include a shank portion configured and adapted to be installed into a hitch receiver. The hitch may further include a drop bar extending downwardly from the shank portion. The drop bar may further include a plurality of pin receiving holes formed in the drop bar. The hitch may further include a ball support member having a locking pin disposed in a locking-pin bore and an actuator pin disposed in an actuator bore. The hitch may further include a locking ring disposed in an annular groove of a cylindrical sidewall of the actuator bore. The locking ring may prevent backout of the actuator pin.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for installing a locking ring in a groove of a bore, said apparatus comprising:
 a tubular body member extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the tubular body member having an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface defining a bore; 
 a plunger extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the plunger disposed in the bore defined by the inner surface of the tubular body member, the distal end of the plunger defining a ring engaging surface; 
 wherein the plunger is operable between a deployment position and a retracted position, wherein the ring engaging surface of the plunger is closer to the distal end of the tubular body member in the deployment position than in the retracted position; and 
 wherein the tubular body further comprises an end surface extending between the outer surface and the inner surface of said tubular body, the end surface being disposed at the distal end of said tubular body, and a ring receiving notch formed in the end surface. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a resilient member for biasing the plunger. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a slot in the tubular body member and a stop member extending from the plunger and extending into the slot such that the slot limits movement of the plunger along a longitudinal axis of the tubular body member. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the slot is L-shaped. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the bore formed by the inner surface of the tubular body member is cylindrical. 
     
     
       6. A method of installing a locking ring into an annular groove formed in a bore of a body member, the bore having a diameter, comprising:
 providing a ring installation tool, said ring installation tool having a tubular body member extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the tubular body having an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface defining a bore, said ring installation tool further comprising a plunger extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the plunger disposed in the bore defined by the inner surface of the tubular body member, the distal end of the plunger defining a ring engaging surface, wherein the plunger is operable between an deployment position and a retracted position, wherein the ring engaging surface of the plunger is closer to the distal end of the tubular body member in the deployment position than in the retracted position; 
 installing the locking ring in the bore of the tubular body member of the ring installation tool and compressing the locking ring using a notch formed in the distal end of the tubular body member of the ring installation tool; 
 inserting the distal end of the tubular body into the bore of the body member to a desired depth; 
 actuating the plunger to the deployment position such that the ring engaging surface forces the locking ring from bore of the ring installation tool to allow the locking ring to expand into the annular groove of the body member; and 
 withdrawing the tubular body from the bore of the body member. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the ring installation tool further comprises a resilient member for biasing the plunger. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the ring installation tool further comprises a slot in the tubular body member and a stop member extending from the plunger and extending into the slot such that the slot limits movement of the plunger via the stop member. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the slot is L-shaped. 
     
     
       10. An apparatus for installing a locking ring in a groove of a bore, said apparatus comprising:
 a tubular body member extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the tubular body having an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface defining a bore; 
 a plunger extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the plunger disposed in the bore defined by the inner surface of the tubular body member, the distal end of the plunger defining a ring engaging surface; 
 wherein the plunger is operable between an deployment position and a retracted position, wherein the ring engaging surface of the plunger is closer to the distal end of the tubular body member in the deployment position than in the retracted position; 
 an end surface extending between the outer surface and the inner surface of the tubular body, the end surface being disposed at the distal end of said tubular body; 
 a ring receiving notch formed in the end surface; 
 a resilient member for biasing the plunger; 
 a slot being formed in the tubular body member and a stop member extending from the plunger and extending into the slot such that the slot limits movement of the plunger along a longitudinal axis of the tubular body member; 
 wherein the slot is L-shaped; 
 wherein the bore formed by the inner surface of the tubular body member is cylindrical. 
 
     
     
       11. An apparatus for installing a locking ring in a groove of a bore, said apparatus comprising:
 a tubular body member extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the tubular body member having an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface defining a bore; 
 a plunger extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the plunger disposed in the bore defined by the inner surface of the tubular body member, the distal end of the plunger defining a ring engaging surface; 
 wherein the plunger is operable between a deployment position and a retracted position, wherein the ring engaging surface of the plunger is closer to the distal end of the tubular body member in the deployment position than in the retracted position; and 
 wherein the tubular body further comprises an end surface extending between the outer surface and the inner surface of said tubular body, the end surface being disposed at the distal end of said tubular body; and 
 a resilient member for biasing the plunger. 
 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising a ring receiving notch formed in the end surface. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising a slot in the tubular body member and a stop member extending from the plunger and extending into the slot such that the slot limits movement of the plunger along a longitudinal axis of the tubular body member. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the slot is L-shaped. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the bore formed by the inner surface of the tubular body member is cylindrical. 
     
     
       16. A method of installing a locking ring into an annular groove formed in a bore of a body member, the bore having a diameter, comprising:
 providing a ring installation tool, said ring installation tool having a tubular body member extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the tubular body having an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface defining a bore, said ring installation tool further comprising a plunger extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the plunger disposed in the bore defined by the inner surface of the tubular body member, the distal end of the plunger defining a ring engaging surface, wherein the plunger is operable between an deployment position and a retracted position, wherein the ring engaging surface of the plunger is closer to the distal end of the tubular body member in the deployment position than in the retracted position, and wherein the ring installation tool further comprises a resilient member for biasing the plunger; 
 installing the locking ring in the bore of the tubular body member of the ring installation tool and compressing the locking ring; 
 inserting the distal end of the tubular body into the bore of the body member to a desired depth; 
 actuating the plunger to the deployment position such that the ring engaging surface forces the locking ring from bore of the ring installation tool to allow the locking ring to expand into the annular groove of the body member; and 
 withdrawing the tubular body from the bore of the body member. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , further comprising compressing the locking ring using a notch formed in the distal end of the tubular body member of the ring installation tool. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the ring installation tool further comprises a slot in the tubular body member and a stop member extending from the plunger and extending into the slot such that the slot limits movement of the plunger via the stop member. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the slot is L-shaped. 
     
     
       20. A method of installing a locking ring into an annular groove formed in a bore of a body member, the bore having a diameter, comprising:
 providing a ring installation tool, said ring installation tool having a tubular body member extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the tubular body having an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface defining a bore, said ring installation tool further comprising a plunger extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the plunger disposed in the bore defined by the inner surface of the tubular body member, the distal end of the plunger defining a ring engaging surface, wherein the plunger is operable between an deployment position and a retracted position, wherein the ring engaging surface of the plunger is closer to the distal end of the tubular body member in the deployment position than in the retracted position, and a slot in the tubular body member and a stop member extending from the plunger and extending into the slot such that the slot limits movement of the plunger via the stop member; 
 installing the locking ring in the bore of the tubular body member of the ring installation tool; 
 inserting the distal end of the tubular body into the bore of the body member to a desired depth; 
 actuating the plunger to the deployment position such that the ring engaging surface forces the locking ring from bore of the ring installation tool to allow the locking ring to expand into the annular groove of the body member; and 
 withdrawing the tubular body from the bore of the body member. 
 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 20 , wherein installing the locking ring in the bore of the tubular body member of the ring installation tool further comprising compressing the locking ring. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 21 , further comprising compressing the locking ring using a notch formed in the distal end of the tubular body member of the ring installation tool. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 21 , wherein the ring installation tool further comprises a resilient member for biasing the plunger. 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 20 , wherein the slot is L-shaped.